I hate them too, but it's because they weren't tastefully done, it was a bit over the top, a spam job, and it sticks around. It would have been nice if you could view the ad once, then remove it from the system.

I'm already paying them $10 a month for service, why not offer it at $15, ad free?posted by mathowie at 8:04 PM on November 15, 2001

I really, really love TiVo and will happily bear the burden of an ad or two to keep the company alive. (It is not in great shape now.)posted by MattD at 8:11 PM on November 15, 2001

Even viewing it once sucked. It was the Tivo equivalent of a pop-up ad. I'm certainly planning on opting out.posted by prodigal at 8:14 PM on November 15, 2001

I don't get some of you people. ("You people" being the ones who are outraged over this ad -- here, there, anywhere.)

"Tivo equivalent of a pop-up ad"? Pop-up ads are advertisements that "pop up" when you try to go somewhere else, getting in your way. This Tivo ad is a single menu entry, at the *bottom* of the menu. You're not forced to choose the menu option. You're not even forced to push ChanDown to get past it, since it's at the bottom. It doesn't automatically play when you bring up the menu screen. In fact, you never have to watch it at all.

If it's anything, IMHO, it's a TextAd. It's obviously there, but it's not in your way, and it helps keep the service alive.posted by CrayDrygu at 8:26 PM on November 15, 2001

TiVo seems like a really cool appliance but the new ReplayTV seems like it has so many more features and like it totally kicks TiVo's ass. I wish I could find some really good forums about ReplayTV like that TiVo forum. Is anyone using the new ReplayTV, have good links and information to it or just some general reviews. I tried searching google but didn't find anything that good.posted by suprfli at 9:35 PM on November 15, 2001

I don't have a TiVo. To me this sounds like a half silly complaint, but the "we'll take abuse to keep the company afloat" argument doesn't cut it for me either.

Only half silly, though. Isn't the point of TiVo to give the user more freedom and control in his media environment? It doesn't sound very annoying, but it does seem...jarring.posted by cps at 10:23 PM on November 15, 2001

suprfli, there's a sister forum for Replay owners, housed at the AVS Forum. Not as much activity as the TiVo group, though -- perhaps it doesn't inspire the same kind of enthusiasm? (The default color scheme of the forum is blinding, too -- you'll want to change that in your login prefs.)

In any case, SonicBlue is being sued into next century by virtually of the networks -- with the hopes of preventing the Replay4000 from ever seeing the light of day. So don't be counting on it "kicking TiVo's ass" just yet!posted by Fofer at 10:44 PM on November 15, 2001

I don't get some of you people.
Same here.
I saw it was added, and did nothing with it. And it hasn't forced itself on me. In fact, I didn't even register that it was a contest until I read the links off this thread. Haven't watched it, haven't moused over it, nothing—I saw the word Lexus, thought advertisement, ignored it.
Not such a disruptive ad, now is it?...posted by teradome at 10:44 PM on November 15, 2001

"Tivo equivalent of a pop-up ad"? Pop-up ads are advertisements that "pop up" when you try to go somewhere else, getting in your way. This Tivo ad is a single menu entry, at the *bottom* of the menu.

Some subscribers (such as myself) also received a pop-up message at power-up about the contest. This is called the PTCM (Pre TiVo Central Message) and it is basically the equivalent of a pop-up ad. In the past TiVo has used this type of message only for important information about system upgrades and so forth -- things that it is actually important for everyone to see.

I get the impression that different combos of advertising methods were rolled out to different users to gauge which will be acceptable and which will not be. I got the pop-up ad, for instance, but not the menu item with the star next to it.posted by kindall at 12:48 AM on November 16, 2001

To me this sounds like a half silly complaint, but the "we'll take abuse to keep the company afloat" argument doesn't cut it for me either.

You might feel differently if you owned one. It's fairly indispensible around my house, and if Tivo goes under, I'm out $500 in lifetime subscription fees paid for my Tivo and the one I gave my mother.posted by rcade at 5:37 AM on November 16, 2001

I wasn't annoyed by the 'ad' at all. And I paid for the lifetime subscription during the promotional time, too - saving me $50, and THAT was sent through the menu alert, too.

I don't know why everyone got so upset. Now, if I was trying to watch a show and some stupid animation came up at the bottom of the screen advertising some product, that would become annoying.

Especially if it was during the Victoria Secret runway show and blocked out a good shot.posted by rich at 6:47 AM on November 16, 2001

I get the impression that different combos of advertising methods were rolled out to different users to gauge which will be acceptable and which will not be.

That would make sense if they had a mechanism to actually poll people's reactions! Unfortunately, the only thing you can do with a PTCM is press a button on the remote to continue. The TiVo Cental "star" line, and it's content, depends on if you're able to record a late night infomercial called "Teleworld Programming," which airs on Discovery Channel. It's where TiVo records it's showcase/preview/advertising content.posted by Fofer at 7:09 AM on November 16, 2001

Looks like some enterprising hacker figured out how to get rid of it anyway. Of course this only works if you're able to figure out how to get to a bash prompt on the box, but still...posted by nstop at 7:12 AM on November 16, 2001

In one of those TiVo threads, someone made a perfect analogy. It's like Microsoft putting an MSN icon on your desktop that can't be deleted. I'm going to opt out today.posted by waxpancake at 7:12 AM on November 16, 2001

It really didn't bother me. Came on when I hit my Tivo button, and I just bypassed it. Then the menu item appeared. Other than that, it has not intruded on me again.

If they were to start saying, "You haven't entered the contest yet" that I might be bothered, but one message I don't think hurts much. And if it keeps Tivo going into the black margins, then good for them.posted by benjh at 7:42 AM on November 16, 2001

Wax - how is it like MSN putting an icon on your desktop that can't be deleted?

You can delete ad, and after the first time, you never see it again. You dodn't even have to turn it off to not see it again.

Unlike those 'tip' windows when you open software where you have to click 'don't display tips', and so forth.

It wasn't very intrusive, and actually.. having a contest with a small target community means more chance for you to win.posted by rich at 9:56 AM on November 16, 2001

That would make sense if they had a mechanism to actually poll people's reactions!

Um, they do. They have an 800 number. Put the ad out, see how many complaints you get from each version of the ad.

You can delete ad, and after the first time, you never see it again. You dodn't even have to turn it off to not see it again.

Not if you get the version that shows up on your TiVo Central menu.posted by kindall at 10:19 AM on November 16, 2001

They have an 800 number. Put the ad out, see how many complaints you get from each version of the ad.

Well, in a perfect world that would work, see? Unfortunately, the CSR's are clueless and if you call to opt out, TiVo is not asking which particular "type" or frequency of ad you got. Still, opting out only applies to e-mail and PTCM's at this point -- you're still stuck looking at the star. I wouldn't mind it as much, if it went away once I acknowledged it.posted by Fofer at 11:04 AM on November 16, 2001

TiVo is not asking which particular "type" or frequency of ad you got.

They have to take your service number to opt you out, and if they have your service number, they know what type of ad you got.posted by kindall at 11:49 AM on November 16, 2001

"Some subscribers (such as myself) also received a pop-up message at power-up about the contest. This is called the PTCM (Pre TiVo Central Message)"

Alright, that's bothersome. I don't think we got one of those here, but I'm not the primary Tivo user in the house, so I wouldn't know.posted by CrayDrygu at 2:50 PM on November 16, 2001

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